The purpose of this study was to analyze the structural relationships among Great Work Place (GWP) organizational culture, organizational effectiveness, and generational conflict as perceived by early childhood teachers, and to examine the mediating e...
The purpose of this study was to analyze the structural relationships among Great Work Place (GWP) organizational culture, organizational effectiveness, and generational conflict as perceived by early childhood teachers, and to examine the mediating effect of generational conflict in the relationship between GWP organizational culture and organizational effectiveness. In addition, this study investigated differences in the structural relationships according to the type of early childhood education institution through multi-group analysis. Through this analysis, the study aimed to identify the effects of GWP organizational culture on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention, and to provide theoretical foundations for strengthening teachers’ organizational effectiveness through GWP organizational culture. Furthermore, this study sought to explore support strategies for effectively managing generational conflict that weakens the positive effects of GWP organizational culture, as well as institution-type-specific strategies for improving organizational culture.
The following research questions were posed:
1. What are the structural relationships among GWP organizational culture, organizational effectiveness, and generational conflict as perceived by early childhood teachers?
2. What is the mediating effect of generational conflict in the relationship between GWP organizational culture and organizational effectiveness?
3. Are there differences in the structural relationships among GWP organizational culture, organizational effectiveness, and generational conflict according to institution type (childcare centers vs. kindergartens)?
The participants of this study were 668 early childhood teachers working in childcare centers and kindergartens located in the Busan and Gyeongnam regions. For the multi-group analysis by institution type, the sample consisted of 363 childcare teachers and 305 kindergarten teachers. To measure GWP organizational culture as perceived by early childhood teachers, the Trust Index developed by Levering and Moskowitz (1993) was adapted for early childhood education contexts based on a simplified and revised version by Choi (2011). Job satisfaction was measured using the Early Childhood Job Satisfaction Survey (ECJSS) developed by Jorde-Bloom (1988), translated and modified by Kim (1983) and further revised by Song (2012) for childcare organizations. Organizational commitment was measured using a scale based on the Three-Component Model (TCM) developed by Allen and Meyer (1991), adapted by Song (2012) and later modified by Lee and Son (2017) for early childhood teachers. Turnover intention was measured using a scale developed by Song (2017). Generational conflict was measured using a modified version of the instrument based on Thomas’s (1976) concept of conflict, originally applied by Jung (2006), and adapted for early childhood teachers.
Data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 26.0. Prior to analysis, missing values and outliers were examined, and incorrectly coded or extreme responses were excluded. Descriptive statistics and normality tests were conducted, and correlations and multicollinearity among observed variables were examined. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, and validity was examined through confirmatory factor analysis, including convergent and discriminant validity. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the research questions, and direct, indirect, and total effects were analyzed to examine mediating effects. Multi-group analysis was conducted to examine differences in structural paths between childcare centers and kindergartens.
The results of the study are presented as follows:
First, GWP organizational culture (trust, pride, and camaraderie) was found to have significant effects on organizational effectiveness (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention) and generational conflict. Generational conflict also had direct effects on organizational effectiveness. Specifically, trust and pride positively affected job satisfaction and organizational commitment and negatively affected turnover intention, but did not significantly affect generational conflict. Camaraderie positively affected job satisfaction and negatively affected turnover intention and generational conflict, but did not significantly affect organizational commitment. Among the sub-factors of GWP organizational culture, pride had the strongest effect on organizational effectiveness, while camaraderie was the only factor that significantly reduced generational conflict. In addition, generational conflict negatively affected job satisfaction and organizational commitment and positively affected turnover intention, indicating that higher levels of perceived generational conflict were associated with lower organizational effectiveness, particularly higher turnover intention.
Second, the mediating effect analysis revealed that among the sub-factors of GWP organizational culture, only camaraderie had a significant indirect effect on organizational effectiveness through generational conflict. Specifically, higher levels of camaraderie significantly reduced generational conflict, which in turn increased job satisfaction and decreased turnover intention, indicating a partial mediation effect. In the case of organizational commitment, a full mediation effect through generational conflict was identified. In contrast, trust and pride did not show statistically significant indirect effects through generational conflict. These findings indicate that camaraderie not only directly enhances organizational effectiveness but also plays a critical role in reducing generational conflict, which mediates its effects on teachers’ organizational outcomes.
Third, significant differences were found in the structural relationships among GWP organizational culture, organizational effectiveness, and generational conflict according to institution type. In the childcare teacher group, GWP organizational culture positively affected job satisfaction and organizational commitment and negatively affected turnover intention and generational conflict. Generational conflict negatively affected organizational commitment and positively affected turnover intention, but did not significantly affect job satisfaction. In contrast, in the kindergarten teacher group, GWP organizational culture did not have significant direct effects on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intention, or generational conflict, whereas generational conflict had significant negative effects on job satisfaction and organizational commitment and a positive effect on turnover intention. These results suggest that while both GWP organizational culture and generational conflict influence organizational effectiveness in childcare centers, generational conflict plays a more decisive role in kindergartens. This highlights the need for institution-specific organizational culture improvement strategies and targeted support measures to alleviate generational conflict, considering differences in job structures and generational compositions across institution types.
This study has theoretical significance in that it empirically verified the effects of GWP organizational culture on early childhood teachers’ organizational effectiveness, confirmed the mediating role of generational conflict, and identified differences in structural relationships according to institution type. As early childhood teachers play a central role in determining the quality of early childhood education, efforts are required to establish early childhood education institutions as “great work places” characterized by trust, respect, pride, and camaraderie. Furthermore, given the increasing influx of Generation Z teachers, it is essential to establish support systems that effectively manage generational conflict and promote intergenerational communication and understanding. In addition, institutional efforts to enhance teachers’ pride through improved social recognition of the teaching profession should be pursued in parallel to achieve meaningful improvements in organizational culture and organizational effectiveness in early childhood education institutions.